CHENNAI: After a brief lull, the northeast monsoon is likely to turn active over Chennai and other parts of north Tamil Nadu later this week.
Going by weather models, a low pressure area may form in the Bay of Bengal and intensify into a depression. As of Wednesday, models suggest the weather system would move towards north Tamil Nadu coast or can drift further north. If it comes closer to Chennai’s coast, the city and neighbourhood would receive bountiful rain.
While the daily bulletins from the regional meteorological centre (RMC) have not yet made any official announcement on the new weather system, there are definite indications of rainfall activity picking-up.
The rainfall forecast says Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai, and Ramanathapuram districts will get heavy rainfall on Thursday. From Friday, almost all coastal districts will receive heavy rain.
Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (meteorology and climate change), Skymet Weather Services, told TNIE that the low pressure area would most probably form by Thursday but its impact on Tamil Nadu will not be great. However, coastal districts like Chennai will see moderate to heavy showers.
Weather blogger K Srikanth also said there will be definite enhancement in rainfall activity for next 15-20 days. “How much rainfall will depend on the movement of the weather system which is forming in the Bay of Bengal. Also, Madden-Julian Oscillation is also entering the favourable phase which would further boost the rainfall activity.” In the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Wednesday, Tirupathisaram and Kurunthacode weather stations in Kanniyakumari recorded the highest rainfall of 3 cm.